Smoking Catfish

[DLD24]

I got a new smoker and some channel catfish I want to smoke, I have never smoked before, so I was curious what brine works good for them and for how long??? Do you smoke them skin on or off?? Do you just smoke them until they flake easily or reach the 145 like normal???Any tips you have would be awesome thanks

[LittleHuck]

I tried my first batch of channel cat yesterday, had some this morning and they turned out not too bad. My brine was 1 gallon water, 3/4 cup canning salt, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp black ground pepper. I ran a couple channel filets, 2 bullheads - head and entrails removed, and another full channel with just head an entrails removed. Went til 145 on each of the different cuts. Filets were pretty good, but haven't had a chance to try the bullheads or the full cat, I've done bullheads this way before so I would assume the cat will be similar. Also, I've always smoked fish with the skin on, never tried it without.

[SalmonSlayer]

I smoke all my channel fillets. I leave the skin on and remove all the discolored meat near the belly or the the dorsal fin. I brine with equal parts brown sugar and kosher salt, then throw in some black pepper and onion powder and if I feel like it some red pepper flakes. Dump that into a zip lock back, add fillets and cover with water. Shake it all up and put in the fridge for a day or two. Remove from bag, rinse, pat dry with paper towels and then place on baking cooling sheets/wire racks in front of a fan for an hour two. This allows the pillicle to form which is what the smoke adheres to. Then I smoke for 6-8 hours, (I like them more like jerky than the wet, smoked fish you can get from the grocery store.) Wife and kids can't seem to get enough of them, so must be doing something right...

[pushbutton]

Until you are a little more comfortable with the fish smoking process and its ensuing lower temperature cooking process ....you might want to just go out and buy something like a High Mountain brine for the first run. It kind of sucks to pay that much for essentially sugar and salt, but it will be mixed proportionately, will brine a lot of fish, and, for the most part, be very safe.

Would also probably leave the skin on as well the first few times until you get used to your smoker. There will be less chance of wreaking the fillet if it does stick and more forgiving if you have hotspots or inaccurate thermometer. For sure would keep a smaller... 2lbish...fish to start off with and cut out the mudline. Bleeding the fish first can also help in identifying where the more "reddish" belly meat is, which I would suggest to cut out as well. I also like more of a jerky like outcome with a heavy coating of a sweet and savory basting that creates a nice crust , but that is personal preference and do whatever floats your boat. Ultimately there is a lot of trial and...error....going on when learning how to smoke. Don't get get to worked up if it happens because we have all had it happen. There is a ton of info in the stickied smoke thread as well as in the archives....google will get you a long ways as well.....have fun!

[Walleye Guy]

Try this. Not sure where I got the recipe but I use it for all my smoked fish from salmon to panfish:

3/4 cup canning salt

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 TBSP garlic powder

1 cup apple juice

1 cup water

Mix in large plastic (not metal) bowl. Place fish in the bowl. Put glass plate on the fish to keep them submerged in the brine. Soak overnight in refrigerator.

Remove fish from brine. Some people rinse their fish after removing from the brine. I do not however. Personal choice. The fish will be slightly saltier without rinsing. The fish need to set up and air dry for at least 30 minutes after you take them out of the brine. The air drying forms a “pellicle” on the fish which helps the smoke stick to the fish so to speak.

How long you smoke is really dependent on your smoker and how hot it is. I have a very basic electric smoker with fairly limited heat controls. Generally the temperature is in the low 200's depending on the outside temperature. I generally try to set the fish on the rack so the body cavity is open and facing down.